A next-generation nonvolatile memory may include a nonvolatile memory that has a capability of being addressed and accessed by byte, such as a phase change memory (PCM), a resistive random access memory (ReRAM), or a magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM). The next-generation nonvolatile memory can provide an interface similar to that of a dynamic random access memory (DRAM). In a practical application, the next-generation nonvolatile memory may be managed in a page management manner similar to that of the DRAM. Currently, a storage system based on the next-generation nonvolatile memory is a research focus in the industry.
Generally, a conventional storage system, a distributed file system, or the like records a location of file data in a storage medium using metadata, to manage the file data. The metadata uses a global contents-based namespace, and generally uses a data structure such as a B-tree. For a data block of a file, the data block of the file is traced in a manner of recording a storage node on which the data block is located or even recording a location on a storage node. This manner is applicable to a block device-based scenario in which a conventional hard disk drive (HDD), solid state drive (SSD), or the like is used. After a storage system uses a new nonvolatile memory (NVM), although an original method can be applied to the new NVM, because the metadata occupies relatively large storage space, and information such as a storage location corresponding to each data block of the file needs to be recorded in the metadata, management burden is relatively heavy, efficiency of accessing the storage node by a host by obtaining the metadata is also low, and consequently, file management efficiency is relatively low.